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Byleth gripped the sides of her desk and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the sight she hated so much. She waited like this for almost 20 minutes before finally beginning to lift her head up to look in the mirror in her room. When she finally looks up to see herself she sees that accursed bright green hair she despised. How could she fight in a war alongside Edelgard against the very people she shared a hair color with? She thought of how Edelgard must resent her for it and it made Byleth even angrier at herself for being forced with this fate upon her.
Byleth doesn’t for a moment regret choosing to walk this path with Edelgard; she only wished she didn’t give Edelgard a constant reminder every time she saw her. With each thought Byleth’s anger grew, hating her very being and wanted to strike the goddess down for damning her to this fate. Byleth takes another look at herself in that mirror as a tear of anger slides down her cheek. She yells and punches the mirror into pieces, leaving her hand a bloody mess and glass everywhere.
Sleep always seemed to elude Edelgard, even more so once her teacher disappeared for so long. With her being back she has been able to sleep better than she has in years but not this night. Edelgard had noticed Byleth acting differently since her return, and it had been bothering her. She couldn’t come up with anything that might ail her teacher except that she might regret walking this path with her. Her blood ran cold at the thought but it was the only one she could think of.
As Edelgard walked around the monastery she passed by where her teacher resides and heard her teacher yell followed by the sound of glass shattering. To say she was startled was an understatement. Edelgard ran over and barged into her teacher's room only to find Byleth’s hand a bloody mess where her mirror used to be and Byleth breathing heavily.
“My teacher! Are you..?!” Edelgard takes in her surroundings as Byleth lowers her hand, but doesn’t look at Edelgard.
“Are you alright? What happened?” Edelgard takes a few steps towards Byleth but Byleth doesn’t move, still trapped in her own mind. Edelgard paused in her approach as she could see the gears turning in Byleth’s head.
“I-” Byleth began as she turned her head to face Edelgard but when she saw her concerned expression, the words died in her throat. Edelgard had never seen Byleth like this before and frankly wasn’t sure what to do.
Edelgard took a deep breath before saying anything, “Let me help you bandage your hand.” Byleth looked at her with surprise, gratefulness, and something else in her eyes that Edelgard felt that she herself knew all too well. Edelgard grabbed some bandages as Byleth sat on her bed and Edelgard sat down beside her.
“I’m going to have to pull the glass out, this might hurt a little.” Byleth winced with every piece she pulled out.
“Thank you.” Byleth looked right at Edelgard who had snapped her head in Byleth’s direction not having expected her to speak. Seeing Byleth’s look of genuine thankfulness made Edelgard’s cheeks flush and she quickly looked back down to begin bandaging.
“Of course, my teacher.” Edelgard took a deep breath before saying anything else as to calm her pounding heart.
“My teacher… What happened?” Edelgard stopped mid-bandaging to look into Byleth’s eyes to try and get some sort of idea as to what she was feeling, however, Byleth looked away trying to decide on how to answer. Byleth sighed knowing she could never lie to Edelgard.
“I was looking at my reflection with green hair in the mirror.” Edelgard was shocked to say the least, not having expected that answer at all.
“Do you not like your appearance my teacher?” Edelgard assumed Byleth meant that she didn’t find herself attractive and was insecure about that fact. Byleth shook her head.
“That's not it. I… I despise my green hair and that I’m damned to share the same hair color as the very beings we are hoping to rid in this world.” Byleth could see understanding in Edelgard’s eyes now along with sorrow, among something else too.
“I never knew it bothered you,” Edelgard said in a small, soft voice.
“I hate myself for it, I’m a constant walking reminder to you of your goal and of what you must accomplish. When you look at me, you must see them and-”
“Byleth. Byleth is the only person I see when I look at you.” Byleth turns her head around to face Edelgard, not having expected to hear her name spoken.
“When I look at you, I see Byleth, no one else. I see the woman who has taught me so much and who I admire more than anyone in all of Fódlan. I see Byleth, who has chosen, twice now, to stay by my side and walk this path with me. I see Byleth, who is the only one who helped me out of the darkness and is the one person I can truly be Edelgard with.” Edelgard was looking into Byleth’s eyes with determination and love to make sure that Byleth knew she meant it. Byleth was shocked but was filled with this warm feeling and she knew Edelgard was telling the truth. Byleth could feel her cheeks heating up at Edelgard’s comments. Byleth pulled Edelgard into a bone crushing embrace.
“B-Byleth?!” Edelgard managed to squeak out.
“Thank you, Edelgard. I truly don't know what I would do without you. When I look at you, I see Edelgard not the Emperor. I feel honored that you can be Edelgard with me, I’m glad I am able to know the real you.” Edelgard returned the embrace with equal force. Edelgard’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson but Edelgard could admit to herself she had always wanted to hear those words from Byleth.
“Thank you, my teacher. I truly have come to rely on you not only as my mentor but as someone who is very dear to me.” Byleth turned a deep shade of crimson in turn, at this point she was aware that she loved Edelgard so to hear her say that she was important to her made her happier than she thought she could ever be.
“You may just call me Byleth, if that's alright with you of course. I rely on you as well and I feel the same, you are very dear to me as well.” At this they separated, luckily for both of them there wasn’t much light in the room to see each other’s crimson cheeks.
“I'd like that, Byleth, I really would.” They stared into each other’s eyes for way longer than was normal between friends but they weren’t really friends were they? Edelgard suddenly realized how long they had been staring at each other.
“O-oh, I should probably finish bandaging your hand. Let me see it.” Byleth raised her hand to Edelgard for her to continue. Edelgard continued to bandage her hand slowly and softly but making sure the bandage was secure.
“Please don’t do something like that again. I already have enough to worry about with your disregard for your own well being when on the battlefield so please just promise me you won’t do something like this again. Okay?” At this Edelgard looked up to Byleth shocked eyes but Byleth’s face was turning deep crimson once more. Byleth should have known nothing would have gotten past Edelgard, she was only that reckless trying to protect everyone, especially Edelgard, not that she needed it.
“I promise, Edelgard. I swear to not be as reckless on the battlefield as well.” Edelgard actually hadn’t expected her to promise that too, but her heart filled with love at the fact that Byleth would promise her that. Edelgard finished bandaging and put the items back on Byleth’s desk, preparing to leave. She began to leave when Byleth caught her hand holding her in place and causing Edelgard to freeze and turn around.
“Thank you, El.” Byleth looked at her with as much love and gratefulness Edelgard had ever seen the expressionless woman ever show. It caused her to gasp slightly and her face burned as hot as the sun.
“You called me El… Thank you Byleth that means more to me than you know. Sleep well and sweet dreams Byleth.” Edelgard smiled genuinely and widely at the woman.
“Sleep well and sweet dreams.” Byleth smiled at Edelgard and hoped her face didn’t show as much crimson as she thought it was. As Edelgard left, her hand slipped through Byleth’s, which almost sent Edelgard into cardiac arrest; she's not sure she could handle much more. When she finally closed the door she covered her face with her hand as her face began to burn again all the while Byleth was doing the same on her bed. Both of them slept better that night than they had in a long time.